Toe Notch Plate

ABSTRACT

The Toe Notch Plate attaches to a standard router and maintains the router at approximately a 75 degree angle from the work piece and is adjustable for use with ¾″ or ½″ material. It also maintains the router bit a consistent distance from the edge of the work piece. When the router is moved along the edge of the work piece it will create an angled groove providing a resting point for a nail gun and an entry point for brad nails. This allows the grooved piece to be toe nailed to another piece of wood which typically will be perpendicular.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

Toe Notch Plate relates to wood joinery. It provides a means to attach aface frame to a cabinet carcass in such a manner so that there are noblemishes or nail heads on the front or exposed side of the face frame.

2. Description of the Related Art 1) Pocket Hole

In this method a “pocket hole” is created in the side panel with apocket hole machine or a pocket hole jig and the face frame is attachedwith a screw going from the pocket hole into the back of the face frame

2) Biscuit

In this method a “biscuit slot is cut into the back of the face frameand the front edge of the side panel, glue is applied to both, a biscuitis inserted into each hole and then the face frame is clamped to theside panel. The clamp needs to remain until the glue has setup.

3) Glue and Clamp

In this method glue is applied to the contact surfaces and then placedtogether and clamped. The clamp needs to remain until the glue has setup.

4) Nailing Through Face Frame into Side Panel

In this method the face frame is held in place against the cabinetcarcass and nailed through the face frame into the cabinet carcass.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

With the conventional or current method of attaching a face frame to acabinet, it is customary to nail through the face of the cabinet intothe body (or carcass) of the cabinet. This attachment method leavesholes in the face frame that have to then be covered with putty and thensanded. The filled holes are typically quite noticeable, especially inwoods with little or no grain.

The Toe Notch method provides a means to fasten the face frame to thecarcass from behind the face frame. This method saves time by not havingto patch the nail holes or wait for the putty to dry and then sanding,and saves money for the putty and sandpaper. Beyond saving time, thisallows for a more secure fastening system.

The Toe Notch Plate attaches to a standard router and maintains therouter at approximately a 75 degree angle from the work piece. It alsomaintains the router bit a consistent distance from the edge of the workpiece. This plate is made to be used with varying thickness of sidepanels, typically they will be either ¾′ or ½′ thick. When the router ismoved along the edge of the work piece it will create an angled groovesuch that the nose of a nail gun can rest in the groove. This willprovide stability, consistency and an entry point for the brad nails toenter into the work piece at a low angle allowing the piece to be toenailed to another piece of wood which typically will be perpendicular toit.

This Toe Notch method of attaching a face frame to a cabinet is astronger way than nailing through the face into the side panel. In thetraditional method of attaching a face frame to the cabinet the nailgoes through the dense lumber into the less dense plywood. There isnothing holding the nail into the less dense plywood. In the Toe Notchmethod the nail goes through the less dense plywood into the more denselumber. To pull apart the Toe Notch attached face frame, the nail headhas to be pulled through the plywood.

The Toe Notch method provides a finished product that is stronger andmore aesthetic than conventional nailing methods, and less cumbersomeand time consuming than other methods.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. A: This is the top view of the Toenail Plate. Number 1 is onerouter base mounting hole. Number 2 is the router bit clearance hole.Number 3 is the router base mounting hole for 0.75″ thick material.Number 4 is the router base mounting hole for 0.5″ thick material.Number 5 is the edge guide.

FIG. B: This is the end view of the Toenail Plate. Number 6 shows therouter mounting surface. Number 7 shows the edge guide. Number 8 showsthe work piece contact area.

FIG. C: This is a 3-D view of the Toenail Plate.

FIG. D: This is a 3-D view of the Toenail Plate with the router bit inthe router bit hole. It also shows how the plate sits on the work piece.

FIG. E: This is the side view of FIG. D. Number 9 shows the work piece.Number 10 shows the Toenail Plate. Number 11 shows the router bit.

FIG. F: This shows the router bit. A standard 0.75″ dado bit can beused.

FIG. G: This is the end view of the Toenail Plate.

FIG. H: This is the side view of the work piece. Number 12 shows theangled groove that is cut by the router when the Toenail Plate is used.

FIG. I: This is a 3-D view of the work piece attached to the face framewith nails. Number 13 shows the nails attaching the two pieces.

FIG. J: This is a side view of the work piece attached to the faceframe. Number 14 shows the work piece, which for cabinet making will bethe sides, top or bottom of the cabinet carcass. Number 15 shows thenail attaching the two. Number 16 shows the face frame. Number 17 showswhere the head of the nail gun rest and where the nail enters into thework piece.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The Toe Notch Plate is made of a single piece of sheet metal (could beany rigid material) with 3 bends (FIG. B), three mounting holes (FIG. A,#1, 3 & 4) and one large clearance hole (FIG. A, #2) for the router bit(FIG. E, #11) to pass through. One of the bends creates an edge guide(FIG. B, #7) and the other two bends work together to create the workpiece contact area (FIG. B, #8).

The Toe Notch Plate will typically be mounted to a standard router suchas a Porter Cable Router. But it could be fastened to any type of motor.To do this the factory sub base must be first removed by removing the 3mounting screws that hold the sub base onto the router base. Once thesescrews are removed, take off the sub base and set it aside. It will notbe needed while using the Toe Notch Plate. With the router base facingup, place the Toe Notch Plate on the router base with the routermounting surface (FIG. B, #6) down so that it contacts the router base.Using the screws that were removed from the router sub base, insert ascrew through screw clearance hole #1 in FIG. A. If working with 0.75″material insert a screw through hole #3 in FIG. A. If working with 0.5″material insert a screw through hole #4 FIG. A. Ensure all screws aretightened.

A 0.75″ router bit must be installed in the router as per the routermanufacturer's procedures. When working with 0.75″ material, set therouter bit so that it extrudes approximately 0.3125″ past the Toe NotchPlate. When working with 0.5″ material, set the router bit so that itextrudes approximately 0.25″ past the Toe Notch Plate.

Once the Toe Notch Plate is attached to the router, place a work piecesecurely on a worktable. With the router on, place the edge guide (FIG.B, #7) against the edge of the work piece and the work piece contactarea (FIG. B, #8) on the top of the work piece (FIG. D). Traverse therouter (with the Toe Notch Plate attached) along the desired length ofthe work piece to create the toe notch (FIG. H, #13)

Once you have the toe notch in the work piece, place the face frameadjacent to the work piece (FIG. J). Then place the nose of the brad ornail gun against the nail entry ridge (FIG. J, #18) and press thetrigger inserting a nail (FIG. J, #16) through the work piece into theface frame

The Toe Notch Plate is made out of sheet metal, but is could also bemade out of any hard material such as plastic or wood. It is used it forattaching a face frame to a cabinet box, but it also could be used inother applications that need an angled groove.

1. The Toe Notch Plate is a plate that when attached to a router willcreate a groove the proper distance from the edge of a piece of wood toallow for the nose of a pneumatic nail or staple gun to rest on andprovides an entry point for a nail or staple.
 2. The toe notch methodprovides a means of attaching a face frame to a cabinet carcass with anail gun without leaving blemishes on the finished side of the faceframe.
 3. The toe notch method provides a means of attaching a faceframe to a cabinet carcass by providing a means to drive the nail fromthe cabinet side into the face frame, rather than through the face frameinto the cabinet side.
 4. The Toe Notch Method of attaching a face frameto a cabinet is stronger than nailing from the face frame into theplywood side.
 5. The Toe Notch Method of attaching a face frame to acabinet takes less time than the Biscuit, Pocket Hole, or Glue & Clampmethods.
 6. A toe notch groove can be achieved with any device holding acutter in this orientation or holding the cutter at 90 degrees from thisorientation and using the side of the cutter. The toe notch grooveallows the face frame to be mounted with a nail gun or staple gun butwithout visible nail heads or blemishes.